Container body forming and cutting mechanism



Dec. 13, 1938. J. M. HoTHx-:RSALL 2,139,682

n CONTAINER BODY FORMING AND CUTTING ylvEC'UxISlVI original Filed'June 20, 193s INVENTO Patented Dec. 13, 1938 PATENT oFr-ICE CONTAINER BODY FORMING AND CUTTING MECHANISM John M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. corporation of New Jersey Original application June 20, 1933, Serial No.

676,749, now Patent No. 2,056,192, dated October 6, 1936.

Divided and this application Septomber 2 4, 1935, Serial No. 41,950

7 Claims.

The presentinvention relates to apparatus for making bodies for containers such as are used for holding paint, white lead and' other heavy products from preformed tubular bodies. It is desirable for the sake of economy andfeilciency in the manufacture of such containers that the preformed tubular body be of double or greater length and that this tubular body be subsequently cut or split into individual sections to form individual container bodies. It is to mechanism for eiecting this cutting or splitting operation that this invention is particularly directed. This invention is a division of my United States application Serial Number 676,749, filed June 20, 1933, on Art of making container bodies, now Patent No. 2,056,192, issued October 6, 1936.

An object of the present invention is the provision ofmechanism for cutting and separating preformed tubular bodies into individual container bodies which mechanism at the same time may also turn back and partially curl the split edges of the container bodies, the severance of the original tubular body thus producing two or more container bodies which are edge curled in part.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing: A Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of preformed double length container body adapta? ble for cutting or separation into two bodies in accordance with the operation of the apparatus of the present invention, the View showing the ends of the body flanged and its central region reduced in diameter;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fully formed, flanged, necked-in and partially edge-curled container body such as may be producedby severance of the double body shown in Fig. 1, the view illustrating the body which would be so formed As a preferred embodiment oi the invention vidual bodies from a single double length body.

TheY bodies to be cut may be unshaped, ordinary '1 straight wall bodies ilanged or unanged or they may have their body wall shaped with beaded, necked-in or similar shapes with their ends flanged as the body illustrated in Fig. 1 and designated generally 'by the character a. Furthermore the cutting maybe effected in any part of the body wallfdepending upon the use to be made of the cut bodies.

If desired the cut may be made so that a bead formed in the body wall will be incorporated entirely in one of the bodies or the'cut may be made directly through the bead so that there will be a part of it in each of the bodies after the original body is cut in two.

This latter form of body obtained from the double body length is well adapted to the manufacture of paint` pails,'lead kegs, and the like` form ob'ody to be cut bythe mechanism embodying the instant invention, the body being formed with flanges b at each end and is necked-in or reduced in diameter 'at its middle section as with an internal bead c as ilustrated in Fig. 1.

body a comprises in part a pairof cutting heads I I, I2 spaced end for end (Figs. 3 and 4) on which the body is positioned in any suitable manner `as by insertion oi the heads into its open ends. The head II is rotatably mounted upon the end of a tubular member I3 which is formed with an. outwardly projecting ange I4 against which one end of the head Il abuts. Locknuts I5 are threadedly engaged upon the tubular member i3 and hold the head I I against the projection It;

The head I2 is mounted in a similar manner upon a member I6, the inner end of the head resting against va projecting flange I1 of the former. Locknuts I8 threadedly engaging the member I6 hold the head I2 in position against its flange projection.' l

Members I3, I6 are suitably mounted for nonrotation on a common axis but are movable longitudinally along such an axis. The members in such a. movement are rst separated one from another a distance suiilcient to allow positioning of the beaded tubular body a between their ad- The mechanism for operating on the double jacent ends. They are thereupon moved inwardly toward each other to insert their cutting heads II, I2 carried thereby into the open ends of the body as was previously intimated (Figs. 3 and 4).

In fully inserted position, projections 2i, 22 of the respective cutting heads I I, I2 are against the flanged ends b of the tubular body clamping the bodyin its position for cutting. It will be understood that the body a, and the heads I i, I2 are all rotated in unison on their common longitudinal axis on the members I3, I6.

Two backing-up rollers 25 are mounted upon and pinned to an idler 4shaft 26 which is parallel to the axis of the members I3 I8. This shaft 26 is suitably mounted for rotation on its own axis and also has parallel movement toward the cutting heads and the members I3, I6.

With the tubular body a clamped between the cutting heads Il, I2 and rotating therewith, the shaft 26 is moved inwardly and the rollers 25 are brought into engagement with the rotating tubular body. Rollers 25 and shaft 26 are thereupon rotated in unison with the cutting heads. These rollers 25 are formed with rounded corners as illustrated, the outer roller surface preferably fitting in the curved side walls of the bead c of the body. While in this engaged rotating position the tubular body a is cut or slit centrally of its beaded section c which action separates the body into two parts.

The cutting or splitting is effected by a cutting disc 28 pinned on a shaft 29 which is eccentrically mounted in a bushing 3i, the latter being eccentrically mounted within the member I6 (see also Fig. 5). 'I'he shaft 29 extends beyond the ends of the bushing 3i and is held against longitudinal movement within its bushing by the disc 28 on one end and by a collar 32 pinned on the other end.

When the cutting heads II I2 are in body clamping position, the cutting disc 28 is disposed within the space between the ends of the members I3, I6 and a sharp peripheral cutting surface of the disc aligns with the space between the backing-up rollers 25. This is in the middle of the tubular body a as it rests on the rotating cutting heads.

The bushing 3i is extended laterally, beyond one end of the member IB, into an operating arm 35 and this may be moved in any suitable manner to rock the bushing 3| within its bearing in the member` I6. This movement by reason of the eccentric mounting of the cutter shaft 29, shifts the cutting disc 28 outwardly from the positiony illustrated in Fig. 3 first against and then through the wall of the body a into the final position illustrated in Fig. 4.

Rotation of the parts combined with the cooperation of the cutting disc acting on the body wall from its shifted position, splits the tubular double body into two identical container bodies d (Fig. 2). The backing-up rollers 25 and the shaft i 25 are thereupon returned or moved away and the severed container bodies may then be taken oir of the cutting heads -I I, I2 which are separated for this purpose.

, The cutting disc 28 in moving outwardly through the body wall and at the time of cutting turns back the edges left in cutting and forms a partial curl e on the edge of each body. In the container making art this is known as a started flange or curl which must be ordinarily performed in a separate operation. This latter operation is thus eliminated or saved by the mechanism iust described.

Although the drawing illustrates a mechanism adapted to cut the body at a reduced diameter section or internal bead, it should be understood that it is equally well adapted to cut through a straight wall section of the body, or through an expanded section or external bead. It should also be understood that by interchanging the cutting form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for making container-bodies from tubular bodies which comprises, the combination of 'rotatable heads for supporting a tubular body, a cutting disc eccentrically mounted in a said head, backing rollers adjacent said cutting heads adapted to cooperate with said cutting disc and to engage the exterior wall of said body, and means for turning the mounting of said disc within its head to move said disc outwardly against and through the wall of said tubular body while the body is held by said backing rollers and splitting said body into a plurality of container bodies.

2. An apparatus for making necked-in bodies which comprises, the combination of rotatable heads for supporting a beaded tubular body, a cutting disc located in a said head, backing rollers cooperating with said cutting disc for engaging the exterior wall of said body Within its beaded section to press a portion of said wall inward, and means for moving said cutting disc outwardly against and through the pressed portion of said tubular wall and between said ,backing rollers for splitting said body into two necked-in container bodies.

3. An apparatus for making necked-in container bodies which comprises, the combination of rotatable heads for supporting a beaded tubular body, a cutting disc eccentrically mounted in a said head, backing rollers adjacent said heads adapted to cooperate with said cutting disc and to engage the exterior wall of said body Within its beaded section to form the same, and means for turning the mounting of said disc within its head to move said disc outwardly against and through the formed wall of said tubular body While held by said backing rollers and splitting said body into two necked-in container bodies.

4. An apparatus for making container bodies which comprises, the combination of rotatable headsfor supporting a tubular body, a cutting and bending disc located in a said cutting head, backing rollers cooperating with said cutting and bending disc for engaging the exterior wall of said body to form `a double neck portion, and means for moving said cutting and bending disc outwardly against and through said neck portion of said tubular wall for splitting said body into two necked container bodies and for bending the severed edge of said bodies outwardly to form a partial curl.

5. An apparatus for making necked-in container bodies from beaded double length tubular bodies which comprises, the combination of rotatable heads for supporting a beaded double length tubular body, a cutting and bending disc located in a said head, backing rollers cooperating with said cutting and bending disc for engaging and necking-in the exterior Wall of said body within its beaded section, and means for moving said cutting and bendingdisc outwardly against and through the necked-in portion of f head comprising portions for interiorly supporting a tubular body in position for cutting and having a space between its supporting portions, a cutting disc arranged in said space and cooperating with said cutting head during said cutting. a backing roller cooperating with said cutadjaoent said space during the cutting action, and means for moving said cutting disc laterally against and radially outwardly through said tubular wall for severing said body.

7. An apparatus for making `necked-in con-v tainer bodies from a double length tubular body which comprises, the combination of rotatable heads for interiorly supporting a tubular body having a necked-in portion in position for cutting, a cutting disc cooperating with and between said heads during said cutting, backing rollers cooperating with said heads and cutting disc for engaging the outerwall of said body during the cutting action, and means for moving said cutting disc laterally against and radially outwardly through said necked-in portion of said tubular wall for severing said body into two container bodies.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL.

-ting disc for engaging an outer wall of said body 

